Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Moka Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Moka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $929 in Moka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,532 in Moka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,135 in Moka, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Moka have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Moka are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Moka 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$6.53 MUR 308

-68.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$28.14 MUR 1,326

-30.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.99 MUR 329

-18.88%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.18 MUR 197

-56.70%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.03 MUR 48.48

-25.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.33 MUR 15.66

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.66 MUR 126

-16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.11 MUR 147

21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.50 MUR 70.9

36.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.88 MUR 41.65

71.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.66 MUR 78.0

-15.66%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.98 MUR 140

-24.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$10.49 MUR 494

-72.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$14.88 MUR 701

-36.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.95 MUR 139

-9.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.67 MUR 78.7

-34.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$4.29 MUR 202

-62.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.37 MUR 206

-66.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.08 MUR 51.1

18.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.09 MUR 51.3

-2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.92 MUR 43.45

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.59 MUR 28.00

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.27 MUR 296

-32.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$10.27 MUR 484

78.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.17 MUR 102

-24.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.17 MUR 102

33.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$3.24 MUR 153

-63.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.60 MUR 75.6

-9.38%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$25.7K MUR 1.2M

-18.35%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$42.1K MUR 2.0M

-37.29%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$63.7 ฿2,125

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.89 ฿430

$4.21 MUR 198

206.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$22.92 MUR 1,080

-10.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$21.25 MUR 1,001

83.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.88 MUR 277

11.90%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$784 ฿26.2K

$127 MUR 5,975

518.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$81.5 MUR 3,840

-32.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$42.61 MUR 2,008

-41.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$93.1 MUR 4,390

1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$79.5 MUR 3,747

-6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$506 MUR 23.9K

-3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$324 MUR 15.3K

-10.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$913 MUR 43.0K

-2.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$718 MUR 33.8K

-27.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$681 MUR 32.1K

-11.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-7.17%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Moka: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $506 in Moka. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Moka. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Moka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $255 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Moka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,393 in Moka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Moka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Moka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moka, where all-in costs run around $929, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Moka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Moka costs $929 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Moka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.